Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Lady of McCamley]

a couple of weeks ago I posted pics of two of my broodies who decided it was easier to raise the 'kids' together... and they are still happily doing so as this little guy can attest...



They love jumping from one broody's back to another, with little Buzzy here taking a break between the two....
They treat Mindy like part of the flock...


And they were having so much fun being double broodies that they decided to make it a triple play!
Introducing Frannie (on left), hatchmate to Bess and Connie and now a broody mom herself, to 2 she hatched and 3 she adopted...


this group is constantly amazing me... Frannie still keeps her youngsters to herself at night (who are a week younger than Bess and Connie's hatch), but through the day it looks like a daycare gone crazy in their area, with babies of all sizes running everywhere. We have even had Rosie's group (who are now 5 weeks old) jump into the mix over the weekend without any problems, though Rosie has her group in the big bird pen most of the time now.

 

[Yoyo with chick]

Sounds good... if she stays it is because she wants to... one thing I've found out without a doubt.... you can't make a hen be broody, you can't wish her out of being broody and you can't plan on them wanting to be broody when it is convenient for us silly humans! LOL

Good luck with her!  Hopefully she sticks it out for you!

Thank you!!!! Good luck with your future broods too!

 

[bhj123]

Could my LF hen brood bantam eggs?

 

[fisherlady]

Could my LF hen brood bantam eggs?

I don't know of any reason they couldn't... though mama hen may wonder where all of the midget chicks came from!

 

[Sydney Acres]

a couple of weeks ago I posted pics of two of my broodies who decided it was easier to raise the 'kids' together... and they are still happily doing so as this little guy can attest...



They love jumping from one broody's back to another, with little Buzzy here taking a break between the two....
They treat Mindy like part of the flock...


And they were having so much fun being double broodies that they decided to make it a triple play!
Introducing Frannie (on left), hatchmate to Bess and Connie and now a broody mom herself, to 2 she hatched and 3 she adopted...


this group is constantly amazing me... Frannie still keeps her youngsters to herself at night (who are a week younger than Bess and Connie's hatch), but through the day it looks like a daycare gone crazy in their area, with babies of all sizes running everywhere. We have even had Rosie's group (who are now 5 weeks old) jump into the mix over the weekend without any problems, though Rosie has her group in the big bird pen most of the time now.

Such a wonderful lack of drama. What breed are these girls?

 

[bhj123]

I assumed so. But people in other threads told me otherwise. :/

 

[fisherlady]

I assumed so. But people in other threads told me otherwise.

only other issue I can think of to cause concern would be the hen accidently breaking eggs if they are tiny or fragile... but that is a risk for any egg

 

[fisherlady]

Quote:
They are Silver Pencil Rocks... I have 5 hens from a broody hatch last May, so far 4 of them are broody.. these 3 with chicks and #4 is setting now waiting for eggs... they are calm, very good with the rest of the flock and seem to know which other birds are 'threats' to their little ones and which are 'no drama hens' They will aggressively defend their space against some other members of the flock, while many of the hens and all of our roosters can mingle with them and the babies without a fussy cluck to be heard. I will be hatching out more of these girls for sure!

 

[chickensnbees]

Has anyone used a broody to hatch shipped call duck eggs? If so, how did you do it? Start them in the incubator to let the air cells heal or straight under the hen after resting 24 hours? Eggs are on the way...help, please!

 

[fisherlady]

Has anyone used a broody to hatch shipped call duck eggs? If so, how did you do it? Start them in the incubator to let the air cells heal or straight under the hen after resting 24 hours? Eggs are on the way...help, please!

I'm hoping someone with duck egg experience chimes in here... but my last experience with shipped eggs was chicken eggs... I let them set for a day, then under the broody they went. (actually they set for just over a half day, since I gave them to her late that night)

edit for spelling